Colored Mercury Glass

8:54:00 PM

Back in September, I fell in love with Decor Chick's awesome Fall Entry Table. I loved the combination of blues with metallics. I wanted to emulate her look, but I also didn't want to spend too much money. I also saw some colored mercury glass in the Pottery Barn Catalog. The wheels in my mind started turning.

I've been reading all over the internet how to make faux mercury glass using Krylon's looking glass paint. I'd also heard about using a combination of mod podge and food coloring to color glass.

So I decided to try to combine the two tutorials to make my own colored mercury glass votives.

First, I cleaned the votives. I picked some cool clear glass ones that have a great texture.

I preheated my oven to 175. Then I combined about a 1/4 cup of mod podge with 8 drops of blue food coloring and 1 drop of green.

I then painted the outside of the votives. I know that most tutorials have you paint the inside; however, I was concerned that the looking glass paint would not interact well with the mod podge (as in...well, remove the color). I placed the jars on a cookie sheet with waxed paper, top down.

I put them in the preheated oven and "cooked" them until the color becomes translucent and dry.

After the votives cooled, I sprayed the votives' inside with the looking glass paint. While the paint was still wet, I sprayed the looking glass paint with a solution of half vinegar and water to get the desired finish.

Once the paint is dried, all that's left is to light the candles!!

I can't wait to show you how I took these and made them into a Christmas centerpiece. Stay tuned, that post needs some more photos!! I'll be posting that one next week. Update: If you want to see that completed winter centerpiece, you can go here!

Aren't you the clever girl and glad you tested it first. I'd wondered why it couldn't be done but was hesitant to try. You did a great job and how it turned out is awesome. They're gorgeous, can hardly wait to see how you used them for a centerpiece. I found you from link with Under the table & dreaming. As soon as I send this comment I'll subscribe to your blog. I enjoy finding new blogs and projects bloggers make. Your tutorial for the candle holders was terrific.Happy Week

Hi Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing this tutorial combining TWO paint techniques for the little votives...I think they are amazing! This looks like a great way to make classy votives if someone needed a specific color scheme for a wedding or party (and then to have to use afterwards of course). I am pinning them right now so I can remember this technique you created. I saw your post over at CSI blog link up.

Holy wow, this is sweet! What an awesome way to spruce up those old boring glass votives! I've never heard of the Looking Glass Paint, do you think it's a necessity for this project or you just liked the metallic mixed with blue? Did you "bake" the votives just to speed up the drying process or does the heat make the Mod Podge act like more of a glaze? Sorry for the million questions but I'd love to do this project with things I already have around the house. Thanks a bunch for the inspiration and instructions!

I didn't mix the paint. The looking glass paint is specially formulated to look like a mirror when sprayed onto the "wrong" side of the glass, so I wouldn't replace that. I found the looking glass paint at walmart, and you can go on their website to see if your local store carries it. The store closest to me doesn't. I don't know if the modge mixture will dry clear if you don't bake it; I didn't try that.

About me

I’m Rachel, a real-life architect, wife and mom of three little girls 8 and under—including twins! I try to find a balance between my work outside the home and my work inside the home, and try to stay sane in the meantime. I love sharing new recipes, crafts, as well as homemaking and parenting tips—all the things that build the architecture of this mom.

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